


Anywhere, Anywhen

by LiraelClayr007



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas - 2019!! [17]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Ancient Greece, F/F, Fluff, Immortal Rose Tyler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21887575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiraelClayr007/pseuds/LiraelClayr007
Summary: Rose lays back in the grassy shade, gazing up at the marble pillars. “It’s incredible to think this is still standing when I’m born.” She pulls a face. “Sometimes it’s hard to word things correctly when you’re a time traveller. Tenses are not my friend.”“Tell me about it.”*Rose and the Doctor visit ancient Greece, remind themselves of love, and find what it means to be right here, right now.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: 31 Days of Ficmas - 2019!! [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559875
Comments: 13
Kudos: 44
Collections: 31 Days of Ficmas 2019





	Anywhere, Anywhen

The Parthenon is a blinding white. Not surprising, since it’s barely a year old.

“It’s beautiful,” Rose breathes. “I’ve seen pictures, but it’s so…” She waves her arms, as if to encompass the entirety of the Acropolis.

“Yeah,” says the Doctor, eyes shining. “I love visiting, in any century. Although it’s slightly less impressive when it’s covered with scaffolding.” Rose looks at her, wondering, and the Doctor answers her unasked question. “They did some restoration in the early 21st century.”

They sit in the shade of the building, trying to avoid the intense heat of the summer sun. Their dresses are loose and light, but even the thin fabric feels oppressive, sticking to their bodies. The Doctor produces a clay pitcher full of impossibly cool fruit juice from a basket too small to hold anything but the handful of flowers and olive branches they’d picked on their walk up the hillside. Rose shakes her head, smiling--Time Lord technology. Bigger on the inside. She’s not sure where the ice came from, though. Maybe she’d hidden a cooler in there.

But Rose is thankful for the sweet coolness of the juice, no matter how it got there. She wipes the sticky sweetness from around her mouth with the back of her hand. She giggles when the Doctor leans over and kisses her, making exaggerated smacking noises. “Mmm, you’re so sweet, Rose.”

Rose lays back in the grassy shade, gazing up at the marble pillars. “It’s incredible to think this is still standing when I’m born.” She pulls a face. “Sometimes it’s hard to word things correctly when you’re a time traveller. Tenses are not my friend.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Do you even know what is _your_ present anymore? I mean, we were on Gallifrey a few years back…” She shudders at the memory; it had not been a pleasant visit. “And that was kind of in line with your timeline, minus the being frozen in time for hundreds of years. But...was that in my past? Or my future? Or was that the same time as 21st century earth?” She’s starting to get almost dizzy; even just trying to find the right words is confusing.

“I don’t much think about ‘my’ present anymore. Well, I do, but not about where to find it, or where it fits on a timeline. My present is now, it’s where and when I am right at this moment.” She pauses, looking at something in her lap. Then she looks at Rose and says, “You’ve been with me for quite a long time, Rose. Don’t you feel like...like your time is _now_?” She sounds nervous. Vulnerable.

Rose sits up and puts her arms around the Doctor. “ _You_ are my present, Doctor. _You_ are my where and when.”

They sit for a moment, foreheads pressed together, Rose’s arms still wrapped around her Doctor. She feels grounded, secure.

When she pulls back she catches a glimpse of leaves and flowers in the Doctor’s lap. “What’s that?”

“We’re in ancient Greece. You should be properly adorned.” She’s been weaving together the branches and flowers they’d picked; she holds up a wreath of olive leaves dotted with pink and yellow flowers, which she settles onto Rose’s head. It fits perfectly.

Her lips curve into a smile. “You need one too,” she says. “Teach me?”

**Author's Note:**

> 31 Days of Ficmas || Day 17 - Wreath
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1\. This was supposed to be about the Olympics. It...went in a different direction.
> 
> 2\. I was actually in Athens in the summer of 2009, and the Parthenon was surrounded by scaffolding. It was still breathtaking...but I definitely felt a twinge of regret. I guess that just means I have to go back someday!


End file.
